Xi leaves Xizang after attending its 60th founding anniversary celebrations

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday departed from southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region after attending celebrations for the region's 60th founding anniversary.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, was given a warm send-off as crowds lined the streets of the regional capital Lhasa to see his motorcade pass by.

Local people gathered at the airport to see Xi off and held aloft traditional Tibetan silk scarves known as the hada, which symbolizes purity and auspiciousness.

Xi had earlier attended a grand gathering and parade held at the Potala Palace square on Thursday morning, with around 20,000 local officials and people from all ethnic groups and all walks of life joining in the celebration.

Instructed by Xi, a central delegation led by Wang Huning will visit and convey greetings to people of all ethnic groups and from all sectors of society in Xizang from Thursday to Saturday.

The death toll in the war-torn Gaza Strip has risen to 71,455 since the conflict between Hamas and Israel erupted on Oct 7, 2023, with the number of injuries reaching 171,347, Gaza's health authorities said on Friday.

In the past 24 hours, hospitals in Gaza received 14 more bodies, including 12 new deaths and two bodies recovered from the rubble, in addition to 18 new injuries as of 11:00 on Friday, the authorities said.

Since the ceasefire agreement took effect on Oct 11, 2025, Israeli attacks have killed 463 people and wounded 1,269 others, according to the Gaza health authorities.